His Obsession (24 page)

“What happened?” Kate inquired.

“Well, one night, Walter came home broke,
drunk and desperate. He begged me for money. All I had was my pin
money, of course, but he took that all the same. He even tried to
take my father’s gold ring, too, but I wouldn’t tell him where it
was.”

Elizabeth walked away from the fireplace, her
mind far away in the past. Caught up in her tale, Kate tracked her
with her eyes, silently pleading with her to continue.

“We quarreled. It was horrible, Kate,”
Elizabeth went on. “We said so many terrible things to each other.
I called him a drunk. He called me – well, let’s just say he said a
few things about me that I couldn’t mention in good company.”

Abruptly, Elizabeth turned, her skirts
swirling around her.

“Then Walter picked me up and threw me down
the stairs.”

“Dear Lord!” Kate gasped.

“Somehow, I survived the fall. I think that
surprised even Walter. He fled and I went home to stay with family
while I recovered,” Elizabeth added, once more reaching for her tea
cup. “A few months later, they fished his body out of the
Thames.”

Kate shook her head sadly. “I’m so
sorry.”

Elizabeth bravely smiled back at Kate.

“I’m not,” Elizabeth chirped. “Well, perhaps
a little, but it made me grow up, you see? I had to find the funds
to maintain a household and climb out of the mess he’d left behind.
What Walter did to me turned me into the woman I am today. Don’t
you see, Kate? You have to stand up for yourself to get what you
want out of life. If you really want Richard, you must go after
him.”

Kate’s tea cup rattled on the saucer as she
dropped it into her lap.

“What? I couldn’t!” Kate declared.

“Why not?” Elizabeth challenged.

Gingerly, Kate set her tea cup on the side
table and rose to walk toward the windows. As she gazed out over
the gardens, her thoughts turned inward, seeking a suitable
response to Elizabeth’s bold question.

Why couldn’t she go to London? She’d always
wanted to travel. Her curiosity was clearly aroused and she
desperately longed to have some sort of social life before she
retired to the quiet of the country. Money certainly wasn’t a
problem any longer and with her new title, few hostesses would
refuse Kate an invitation.

“Well?” Elizabeth prodded. “We can go
together. I return to London in two days and you can go with me. My
Aunt Lydia will be delighted to have you. Oh, we’ll have such fun!
You’ll see. Please say yes.”

A smile curved Kate’s lips as she turned back
to face her new friend.

“Yes. I’d be delighted to accompany you,”
Kate declared.

Elizabeth squealed in delight and clasped her
hands warmly. It felt so good to make such a bold decision on her
own. Once more, Kate was in control of her own life.

The two women made plans to meet on Wednesday
morning. Elizabeth would bring her coach around and they’d depart
from the earl’s mansion. On a cloud of happiness, Elizabeth
departed and Kate hurried upstairs to begin packing.

Ellen also thought that the trip to London
sounded like a grand adventure and she was ecstatic when Kate
invited her to accompany them. Ellen began packing in earnest. Now,
all that remained was for Kate to bid her family farewell.

The morning before their departure, Kate rose
early, donned a frock of dark blue velvet and hurried out to the
stables. A groom was waiting to accompany her, apparently at her
husband’s direction, and Kate tolerated his presence as they rode
onto the Overton estate. It was a cold, bitter ride. The misty
morning was rapidly turning to rain mixed with sleet and the wind
picked up as she neared the manor house.

Immediately, Kate noticed a few changes in
her old home. The house looked good, very good, indeed. Repairs had
been made to the shutters at the front of the house and a large
scaffolding rose along the right side, where the house was being
repaired.

When Kate drew rein at the front steps, a new
servant rushed forward to take her horse’s reins while she
dismounted. Kate supposed that was normal, since their old butler
had found employment elsewhere.

Kate followed the new butler inside and
paused just inside the entry way. Many of her father’s paintings
were back, lining the wallpapered walls as though they’d never
left. Other landscapes and portraits supplemented the Overtons’
original works, many of which were much more ornate and
detailed.

A noble marble bust of Apollo now stood at
the base of the steps, mounted firmly on a pillar of similar stone.
A rich burgundy carpet with swirls of black and green cushioned her
feet as Kate proceeded inside.

An uneasy worry began to tug at Kate’s mind
as she glanced at the opulence around her. Was this how her family
had used Richard’s hard won money, to outfit and redecorate the
house? Such purchases were very costly.

Kate knew that Penelope Overton would be in
her glory, shopping to her heart’s content. However, it was
difficult to believe that Edgar would so easily accede to her
mother’s schemes.

“Kate!” a male voice suddenly called in the
silence.

Frederick emerged from the parlor and happily
embraced her with his good arm. Kate couldn’t help smiling back at
him. The color had finally returned to Frederick’s face and he
seemed genuinely happy to see her.

“What a wonderful surprise!” he cried. “Helen
will be delighted to see you.”

“Thank you,” Kate acknowledged. “Where is
everyone?”

“Helen is still abed,” Frederick explained in
a softer voice. “I’m afraid I quite tired her out when we went
shopping yesterday.”

Kate’s smile dwindled a little as her
suspicions mounted. Quickly, she changed the subject, reserving her
more probing questions for her immediate family.

“How is your arm, Frederick?” she asked.

“Better, thank you, but not yet healed,”
Frederick admitted. “The doctor says the splints have to stay on
for another few weeks.”

“After the wedding then?”

“I’m afraid so,” Frederick agreed. “But it
could have been much worse, eh? Thanks to your husband, it wasn’t.
How is the earl?”

“He is well,” Kate lied. “Thank you for
asking.”

“You two seem to be getting along well then?
Marriage must agree with you.”

“Yes,” Kate softly agreed.

Frederick frowned, detecting a lack of
sincerity in Kate’s tone.

“Kate! Kate!” her father cried, hurrying from
the back of the house.

Suddenly, all other thoughts faded as Edgar
Overton enveloped Kate in a warm, strong hug. He smelled of the
outdoors, of green grass, pine and horse. It was a welcome and
familiar scent.

“I can’t believe it! You’re here,” Edgar
exclaimed. “You’re here, Katie girl.”

“Yes, and I’ve been waiting simply hours for
you to get home,” Kate chided with feigned irritation.

“Sorry, but I’ve been out riding,” Edgar
explained.

Kate crossed her arms over her chest and
frowned at her parent.

“I managed to find Bertie yesterday and I was
out – oh, but you’re fooling me, aren’t you, lass?” Edgar
chuckled.

Kate dropped the ruse immediately and grinned
back at him. Edgar looked so happy. He seemed years younger. His
dark hair was tousled and his cheeks were a little chapped by the
wind. Edgar’s eyes sparkled merrily as he looked Kate over from
head to toe.

“Let me look at you,” Edgar requested,
holding Kate at arm’s length. “You look marvelous! Doesn’t she look
wonderful, Frederick?’

“She does, indeed,” Frederick concurred,
chuckling at Edgar’s enthusiasm.

“Can you stay a while? I’ll have some tea
brought in.”

“That sounds wonderful,” Kate acknowledged.
“I am a little chilled.”

“Frederick, if you’ll excuse us, please?”
Edgar pleaded.

“Of course,” Frederick agreed with a nod.

Edgar flung one long arm around Kate’s
shoulders and drew her into his study. Kate entered her father’s
hallowed male sanctuary and happily scanned the room. Everything
was as it used to be when she lived there. Dozens of books once
more lined the shelves, about two inches of papers lay scattered
haphazardly over her father’s massive mahogany desk and the sun
glowed on the polished wood surface.

Edgar helped Kate out of her cloak and she
gravitated toward the fire to warm her chilled hands.

“So, Kate, how are you?” Edgar prompted. “You
look well. Marriage seems to agree with you.”

“Thank you.”

“Is Richard here?” Edgar inquired, glancing
out the windows toward the stables.

“No. He is not,” Kate informed him.

“Oh? I would have expected the earl to
accompany you on your visit.”

“I came with a groom. He’s waiting outside,”
Kate added.

“In this weather?” Edgar chided. “I thought
we taught you better manners.”

“I tried to invite him into the kitchen, but
he refused,” Kate explained. “The earl apparently gave him strict
instructions not to enter the house.”

“How very odd,” Edgar mused aloud. “Excuse me
a moment.”

Edgar quickly left the room and, for a few
moments, Kate was left alone with her thoughts. She wandered about
the room, still rubbing her hands to warm them. Now that she had a
little extra time, she noted several new items in her father’s
study. The painting of a woman that now hung near the windows was
lovely. She leaned forward to see the artist’s signature and gasped
in astonishment.

“Rembrandt? Good heavens!” Kate cried. “This
must have cost a fortune.”

There was a small globe on a table on the
other side of the window, too. It was obviously new and seemed to
have a base of solid brass or gold. If Kate didn’t miss her guess,
the twinkling gems marking the major cities around the world
weren’t paste, either.

A heavy letter opener lay poised on one pile
of papers on her father’s desk. It appeared to be solid silver and
the handle was completely encrusted in semi-precious stones.

Kate’s heart sank as she beheld the newly
acquired objects around her. Her doubts were confirmed. Apparently,
her family had taken the earl’s good money and exploited it. Rather
than pay off all of their debts, the Overtons had used at least a
portion of the funds for themselves. Just the few items that Kate
had noticed thus far must have cost almost a thousand pounds. She
recalled that Edgar had happily announced he’d managed to reacquire
his horse, Bertie, too. Just how much had that set him back?

Suddenly, Edgar breezed back into the room
and closed the door behind him.

“Father?” Kate began, struggling for
patience.

“Got your man all settled right and tight in
the kitchen,” Edgar informed her with a grin. “He’s drinking tea
and eating one of cook’s blueberry scones. She’s Scottish, you
know?”

“Father, we have to talk,” Kate tried
again.

“Found Finny in the strangest place,” Edgar
continued. “We were on our way back from Somerfield when we stopped
at an inn. She was working in the kitchens there.”

“Somerfield?” Kate inquired.

Kate recalled hearing about the incredible
ball held at Somerfield. The opulence of the gathering still had
tongues wagging. If her family had attended the ball there, they
must have spent a fortune just to keep up appearances. Kate’s heart
sank.

“Yes. Cook had apparently had some
altercation with the owner and --”

“Father, what have you done?” Kate demanded,
throwing her arms wide.

“Hum?” Edgar innocently asked.

“Richard gave you that money to pay off your
debts,” Kate explained.

Edgar looked a little sheepish and refused to
meet his daughter’s eyes.

“Don’t tell me that you used it all on
paintings, new gowns and – and trinkets?” Kate accused.

Mercifully for Edgar, their tea arrived. As
one of the servants settled the massive silver tray on one of the
tables, Kate turned back toward the fire. She was barely able to
contain her anger and disappointment while the servant arranged the
refreshments for them.

Despite Kate’s mood, the flames leaped
merrily in the grate before her. It was a cheery, happy fire. Being
in this room, surrounded by all of her father’s books and learned
treatises had always brought Kate such joy. Unfortunately, it
didn’t now.

As the door clicked shut behind her, finally
signaling the servant’s departure, Kate whirled, her skirts flaring
out around her ankles.

“Father, if you’ve done what I think you
have, heaven help you,” Kate warned.

For a few moments, Edgar paused, then resumed
pouring her a cup of tea.

“Cream and sugar, right? Already, I’m
beginning to forget what you like,” Edgar apologized. “How
strange.”

“Father, you didn’t just --”

“There you are, my dear,” Edgar said
politely, holding out the cup and saucer to her.

“Why won’t you listen to me?”

Kate stomped her foot angrily. In her
frustration, her hand hit the saucer that Edgar was holding. The
cup and saucer flew into the air, spilling the hot tea all over the
new carpet.

Edgar scowled. “Now look at what you’ve done.
That carpet cost me over three hundred fifty pounds!”

“You mean it cost the
earl
over three
hundred fifty pounds,” Kate angrily retorted.

“What’s that?”

“You used it all, didn’t you? All of the
money is gone, isn’t it?” Kate demanded. “There are new carpets,
new pictures and a marble statue in the front hall. Did you think
no one would notice?”

Edgar grinned.

“You liked Apollo, too? I found him in the
most curious shop in London,” Edgar informed her. “You should have
been there, Kate. It was the most -”

“London? You’ve been to London, too?”

“Of course,” Edgar innocently replied.

Kate groaned. Her stomach was in knots. She
could well imagine the amount of money that little jaunt had cost.
Her mother and Helen probably would have attended several balls and
soirees while they were in the big city. Of course, there would
have been new gowns, shoes and accessories to go with each
invitation. They had probably shopped their way through dozens of
stores.